


Ballroom Politics

by thesetemplebones



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Light Angst, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 08:46:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19128589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesetemplebones/pseuds/thesetemplebones
Summary: "How careful and thoughtful the assassin was in applying her perfume, she knew exactly she was doing. Darcy welcomed herself to be the next victim of the black widow."





	Ballroom Politics

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a good day. I was inspired to write this one-shot, honestly missed writing these two. This can stand on its own but I do consider it a tie in with my series 'love is for children' (I do plan on rewriting it). I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. I just use them for my own plot ideas and don't plan on making any money off of them.

**S** he had nearly made her way to the rented out ballroom of the elegant hotel before Darcy found herself in the nearest restroom. Her stomach was doing flip-flops as she paced back and forth. “Come on,” she whispered out loud to herself, “get your shit together, Lewis.”

She stopped pacing and went over to the sink, relieved that it was a fancy bathroom with controllable water taps, and splashed a handful of ice-cold water on her face. Darcy made sure to avoid her signature colored lipstick, she had to apply it twice before she was satisfied. As she allowed the water to cool her burning face, Darcy stared at herself in the mirror. The dark circles that she usually wore were nowhere to be seen and her lipstick was a brilliant red and set perfectly upon her lips. She ran her fingers through her dark locks, she styled it with waves and a right side part tonight, making sure to fix any stray hairs.

“You look hot,” she said to her reflection. “You got this. You totally got this.”

That was in fact a lie. Darcy didn’t totally have it but she knew how to bullshit her way through uncomfortable situations. Deciding that there was no point to stay in the bathroom, Darcy decided she couldn’t avoid the dinner. The moment she stepped out of the restroom, she ran into someone.

“Thought I was gonna have to do a rescue mission.”

Darcy straightened herself as she gave Bucky a friendly smile. “Promise?”

Bucky laughed as he took a moment to look at her. His smile was genuine and warm when he caught her eyes again, “you look lovely, doll.”

Hearing Bucky use his nickname for her eased some of the nerves in her stomach and feel better about her appearance. Since he joined the Avengers, Darcy had taken a liking to Bucky. They had formed a close relationship since most of her time is spent with Steve and she helped to get him assimilated to the new times. Since their first meeting, Bucky had called Darcy ‘doll’ numerous times. He was the only one who get away with it, she punched Tony in the arm the one time he tried it.

“I promise as long as you promise to rescue me,” Bucky offered her his elbow.

Darcy smiled and slipped her arm through, slipping her smooth, warm fingers between his metal ones, “promise.”

When they reached the entrance of the ballroom, Darcy gasped. Only a few of the chandeliers that hung from the high ceilings were lit, allowing the mood to remain that of class. There were plenty of shadows for people to hide in without disappearing completely; when you needed a moment to catch your breath and not have to smile for a minute. The ballroom was scattered with people dancing, talking; all pretending that they weren’t gossiping or observing. There was a live band playing a tune that seemed familiar to Darcy on the stage.

* * *

 

“A String of Pearls,” Bucky said.

Darcy looked over at him, “what?”

“The band is playing Glenn Miller.”

“Leave it to Tony to make sure band music gets played at least once during these things.”

Bucky nodded, “he does it for Steve.”

“You too,” Darcy added.

Bucky didn’t respond and Darcy didn’t push. The relationship between Tony and Bucky wasn’t hostile, but they weren’t best friends either. She was pretty sure that most of the effort put forth by Tony was for Steve’s sake and Bucky appreciated it- so did Steve. Speaking of…

“Have you seen him?” Darcy asked as she searched the sea of people.

“Dancing,” Bucky said and nodded his head to the right side of the ballroom. They had moved further into the ballroom but remained on the side, not wanting to be swallowed up by the crowd.

Dancing? She was quick to follow Bucky’s eyesight, wanting to see who was able to get Steve to dance, and felt the nerves in her stomach double. Steve was dancing with Natasha. She was wearing a full blown smile and dark green dress as she made Steve laugh about something and Darcy felt her knees get weak. Honestly, only an assassin could make Darcy feel this disgusting amount of romantic.

“Darce?”

“I’m fine,” she was quick to answer and hadn’t stopped looking at them.

“Clearly.”

She looked at Bucky who had his hands in his pockets and looked at her with knowing eyes. “I asked if you wanted to join them but _you’re fine_.”

“Want a drink? I’m getting a drink,” Darcy turned her back on the two dancing Avengers and walked over to the bar.

A half hour into the event and Darcy was sipping casually on her second glass of wine, she had downed the first one entirely. Her mission was to get her nerves to relax and not get drunk, here at least. Although Tony had initially thrown this semi-formal dinner for the team and others, Pepper had turned it into a fundraiser, unofficially. They had already received donations and for the life of her, Darcy couldn’t remember what for. She was too busy thinking about a certain redhead who was now sitting at a table talking with Bruce and Pepper. She wished that Jane didn’t have to be at a conference in New Mexico, Darcy could use her best friend’s support.

Natasha was the reason that Darcy put in extra care of her appearance tonight. She wanted to look her best knowing that the other woman was going to be here. Natasha had missed the last couple of functions because she had been busy, one she was away on a mission. Darcy had a plan, half a plan, to see the other woman and talk to her. She should have known that the plan was completely useless. She was nearly finished with her glass of wine when Natasha herself appeared at her side.

* * *

 

“Care for a dance?”

Darcy was careful to not choke on the liquefied grapes as she swallowed and kept her eyes on the crowd. She caught a scent of her perfume and licked her lips as she pulled the glass away from them. “Okay.”

Natasha grabbed Darcy’s hand gently as she weaved them between the other people on the dance floor. Of course she chose an area that was dimly lit and Darcy was grateful that her blushing cheeks were hidden. As the soft piano keys filled the air, Natasha wrapped one arm around Darcy’s waist and pulled her closer as she slipped her fingers between hers with her free hand. Silence surrounded the two women as Natasha led them around their small claimed area.

“Not bad,” Natasha commented.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” Darcy replied.

Darcy resisted the urge to lean her head on her shoulder. She resisted the urge to just melt in her arms, the warmth from the other woman encompassing her like a blanket. Natasha had a way of making Darcy forget that others even exist. When the other woman was around, she saw no one else. There was no one else. All Darcy wanted to do was to kiss her neck. She cleared her throat and pulled back, needing to put a little space between them.

“I’m glad to see you. Wasn’t sure if you were going to be able to make it or not.”

She was able to catch Natasha’s smile in the low light and pressed herself closer. She could smell Natasha’s perfume better now, and she imagined how she applied it to her neck. How careful and thoughtful the assassin was in applying her perfume, she knew exactly she was doing. Darcy welcomed herself to be the next victim of the black widow. She thought her heart was going to explode from her chest after Natasha’s thumb brushed against her wrist. As faint as the touch was, Darcy knew it was deliberate.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to,” Natasha’s voice was soft but she could still hear her over the music. “Steve asked me to go with him.”

“Oh,” Darcy frowned, “I see.”

“Jealous?”

There it was. Darcy wanted to stop dancing completely but she didn’t want anyone to stare more than they already were. After everything that had been shared between them, Natasha still held Darcy at arm’s length. Even now as she held her in her arms, Darcy could still feel the invisible barrier that the other woman kept up. She sighed and flexed her fingers of her free hand before she pressed them back into Natasha’s skin.

* * *

 

“You look cute.”

“Don’t Tasha.”

“What?”

“Don’t flirt with me like I’m just a girl to flirt with,” Darcy pulled back enough to look into her eyes. “Don’t flirt with me like I’m just another stranger.”

“You’re not a stranger,” she answered. “You’re not.”

Darcy looked away, taking a quick look around the ballroom. She spotted Tony and Pepper off a few to the left, dancing with each other in their own little world.

“Hey,” Natasha squeezed her hip.

Darcy quickly turned her attention back to the other woman. She could sense the song was coming close to its end. _Go big or go home_ , she thought. “Do you think about me when you’re away on missions?” She paused. “Do you think about me at all?”

Silence. Natasha just looked at her, her eyes pleading and searching her own. Darcy’s heart skipped a beat while Natasha remained quiet.

“I think about you,” Darcy could feel the lump in her throat growing, “a lot.”

“Darcy-.”

Still after everything, Darcy wanted Natasha to wrap her arms around her and pull her in, to feel that warm blanket engulf her again. Yet the second the song ended playing, Darcy spun on her feet and pulled herself away. It hurt even more when Natasha didn’t try to pull her back.

It took everything for Darcy to not look back at her but she needed to get away. She had hit her social limit and just needed out. She had only taken a few steps when Bucky appeared at her side, walking beside her as he moved them around the people and out of the ballroom.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I appreciate it and hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
